Superchips Abarth 500

British tuner Superchips has launched an engine management system upgrade for the Abarth 500.



Applying the ECU remap to the 500’s 1.4 litre turbo engine lifts power by 22 bhp (16 kW / 22 PS) to 155 bhp (115 kW / 157 PS), while peak torque rises from 206 Nm (151 lb/ft) to 252 Nm (185 lb/ft).

The increased outputs are similar to those achieved by Abarth’s own Esseesse conversion, and Superchips has focussed on enhanced in-gear acceleration and improved throttle response without adversely affecting fuel consumption or reliability.



On sale now, the ECU remap costs £455 including VAT, and it’s available from Superchips direct or its dealer network.



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North American 500 Abarth

The North American-spec Fiat 500 Abarth is to debut at the L.A. Auto Show, which opens to the public on the 18th of November.

With uprated suspension and braking systems, it’s being aimed squarely at enthusiasts and track-day fans. Like the rest of the North American Fiat 500 range, power will come from a 1.4 litre MultiAir engine, but the Abarth gets the added benefit of a turbocharger.



Power and torque figures have yet to be released, but expect them to be on a par with the European Abarth 500, which gets 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) and 206 Nm (151 lb/ft) from its less efficient 1.4 ‘Fire’ turbo engine.

The 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth will certainly occupy its own - perhaps very small - niche in the U.S. and Canada. Indeed, Fiat is already saying that it’s going to be a limited production model for those markets.



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Abarth Punto Evo Esseesse

Just ten months after it was first announced at last year’s Paris Motor Show, the Esseesse upgrade for the Abarth Punto Evo has gone on sale in the UK.



The kit raises power from 162 bhp (121 kW / 165 PS) to 177 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS), although the effect of that extra horsepower doesn’t seem to be particularly dramatic. Compared to the standard Abarth Punto Evo, the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time falls from 7.9 to 7.5 seconds, while top speed increases by just 2 mph (3 km/h) to 134 mph (216 km/h).

Available as a dealer-fit option on new or used Abarth Punto Evos (up to twelve months old with no more than 12,500 miles on the odometer), the Esseesse upgrade will cost around £3,000 (depending on labour rates).



Although it certainly makes for an appealing hot hatch alternative, that’s still a lot to add to the £16,852 price tag of a regular Abarth Punto Evo, and it faces stiff competition.



The Renault Clio Renaultsport 200, for example, is £17,930 and it’s quicker too: 0-62 mph (100 km/h) takes 6.9 seconds, while its top speed is 140 mph (225 km/h).



However, at 34.4 mpg (8.2 l/100km) the Clio’s fuel consumption is poor, and its CO2 emissions are a high 190 g/km. The Abarth Punto Evo Esseesse, by contrast, manages a much more respectable 47.1 mpg (5.9 l/100km) and 142 g/km.



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Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

Alfa Romeo stunned visitors to the 2002 Geneva International Motor Show with the Brera concept. The gorgeous looks might have eventually made it into production, but excessive weight, so-so performance and below par chassis dynamics sadly meant the showroom Brera was ultimately rather disappointing.



Now, nine years later, the Italian manufacturer has once again provided a Geneva star in the shape of the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept. A compact two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive coupé measuring around 4 metres (13 feet) long, the 4C makes extensive use of carbon fibre and aluminium in its construction to limit weight to just 850 kg (1,870 lbs). To put that into perspective, a Lotus Elise tips the scales at 876 kg (1,931 lbs).

With more than 197 bhp (147 kW / 200 PS) on offer from its 1,750 cc four-cylinder turbocharged engine, a sub five second zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) time is promised, along with a top speed in excess of 155 mph (250 km/h). The 4C Concept is equipped with an Alfa TCT dual-clutch transmission, as well as the marque’s trademark ‘DNA’ control system.



The good news is that the 4C is destined to lose its ‘Concept’ suffix, as Alfa Romeo has stated that sales are set to begin in late 2012. What’s more, pricing is reckoned to be around £38,000 (€45,000 / US $62,000), plus it’ll also be available in the United States.



A production run of 15,000 to 20,000 units is rumoured, stretched across a five year period. The 4C is also expected to form the basis for a bespoke Abarth model.



All of which brings us back to the Brera incident: hopefully Alfa Romeo has leant from that experience, and the 4C Concept will survive the transition into series production relatively unscathed.

Novitec tunes Abarth 500

Abarth already offers a hotter version of its 500 via the Esseesse kit, which raises output from 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) to 157 bhp (117 kW / 160 PS).



However, German tuner Novitec clearly thought that that increase was unexceptional, because its recently announced programme for the Abarth 500 promises a lot more.

Novitec has a number of kits available, each giving varying power upgrades. Top of the range, though, is the €3,016 (around £2,565) NT4-Corse conversion which squeezes 212 bhp (156 kW / 212 PS) from the 500’s 1.4 litre engine. Torque gets a similar boost, too, going up from 206 Nm to 325 Nm.



Such significant improvements are thanks to a special turbocharger, Corse exhaust system, optimised air-cleaner box, sport air filter cartridge, special fuel pressure control, larger injection nozzles and a PowerJet 2 auxiliary control unit for the engine’s electronic brain.



As a result, the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of the standard Abarth 500 is slashed from 7.9 to 6.8 seconds. On that measure at least, the Novitec Abarth 500 is slightly quicker than either a Mini Cooper S, Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 or even Abarth’s own limited edition 695 Tributo Ferrari. They do the same sprint in 7.0, 6.9 and 7.0 seconds respectively.



All three of those competitors can still boast marginally higher top speeds than the Novitec car, though. That’s despite the NT4-Corse kit allowing the Abarth 500 to hit 138 mph (223 km/h), up from the 127 mph (205 km/h) of the stock version.



To go with the engine modifications, Novitec is also offering uprated suspension. Customers can go for replacement sports springs, which lower the ride height by 35 mm, or alternatively they can choose a full sports suspension package which includes stiffer dampers and is height adjustable.



Complementing the chassis tweaks are a range of 17” and 18” alloy wheels, although oddly the programme doesn’t include any improvements for the brakes, which is perhaps an omission.



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New Abarth Esseesse kits

Abarth has announced it will be launching new Esseesse upgrade kits for the Abarth 500C and Abarth Punto Evo at the Paris Motor Show.



With one in three Abarth 500 hatches already getting the Esseesse treatment, it’s hardly surprising that availability has been extended to the convertible. The Abarth 500C Esseesse also gets its engine power increased from 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) to 157 bhp (117 kW / 160 PS), but a little extra weight means it’s not quite as rapid as the hardtop version. Nevertheless, it’s still a quick car, with top speed of 129 mph (209 km/h) and a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 7.6 seconds.

UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, but the standard Abarth 500C is listed at £17,500 and the existing Esseesse kit for the hatch costs £2,500. On that basis, a grand total of around £20,000 would seem a reasonable guess.



The glaringly obvious rival for the Abarth 500C Esseesse is the Mini Cooper S convertible. That’s priced at a spookily similar £19,965, but it’s faster: 0-62 mph (100 km/h) takes 7.3 seconds, and it’ll go on to 140 mph (225 km/h). Expect the Mini’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to be significantly better, too.



Next to both of those cars, the Abarth Punto Evo Esseesse might seem rather a bargain, especially as it uses the innovative 1.4 MultiAir turbo engine as its basis.

Output rises from 162 bhp (121 kW / 165 PS) to 177 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS), although the extra horsepower doesn’t appear to have a huge effect on performance. Compared to the standard Abarth Punto Evo, the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time only falls from 7.9 to 7.5 seconds, while top speed increases by just 2 mph (3 km/h) to 134 mph (216 km/h).



Again, there’s no word on prices, but the Esseesse kit will probably add £2,500 to the £16,500 that a standard Abarth Punto Evo costs. That will make it more expensive than established - and quicker - competitors such as the Volkswagen Polo GTI / Skoda Fabia vRS / Seat Ibiza SC Cupra trio and the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200.